Demigod of Prophecy
by Selene Adams
Summary: Selene Adams is a thirteen year old being raised by her mother. After getting expelled from her prep school her life starts to unravel. Does she really know herself or her mother? Are her new friends right about her? They think they are possibly a child of a prophecy if one of them dies. But even among the demigods she is unique. Does Kronos' army know a truth she needs?
1. I Get Expelled From My Third Junior High

I Get Expelled From My Third Junior High School

I knew when I woke up for school that morning that things weren't going to go well for me. When I left the apartment I lived in with my mother in midtown Manhattan I swore I saw a girl whose hair was on fire. That's not normal and it couldn't have been a sign that things were gonna be sunshine and butterflies. Instead of doing what seemed like a good idea, which was skipping school, I went into the seventh circle of hell that was Anderson Prepatory Academy, which was the third school I was attending in my eighth grade year of school.

Walking into the school, the bad feeling didn't get better, but started to get worse. I was late, so I knew Mr. Willis was going to be pissed off before I even hit first period. I had barely made it to my locker when he came into the hallway from his office.

"Selene Adams, in my office, right now!"

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, "be right there, sir."

I shoved my backpack in my locker and locked it. I refused to take off my leather jacket even though I knew it would piss him off because it wasn't part of the school uniform. Taking my time, I made my way down to the principal's office. To me there was no point in rushing, the man thought I was the anti-Christ anyway. The only reason he tolerated me was because my mom made good money and could afford the stupidly expensive tuition the school charged.

He was waiting for me at the door and glared at my jacket as I walked in. When I looked into his office I saw that we weren't alone. Standing in the middle of his office was a group of three girls. As soon as I saw them, my instincts said to get the hell out of there. Unfortunately, before I could, Mr. Willis closed the door behind us.

"Ms. Adams, late as always, I see. This is becoming a real problem. We will need to have another meeting with your poor mother. Are you sure your father didn't meet you before he decided to leave her? I don't understand why anyone would ever leave someone as caring as your mother."

"Shut your damn mouth about my father! He was gone before I was born! I never met him!"

"Well maybe there is a reason he never came back. Perhaps your mother told him what a disappointment you are."

"One of these days, someone is gonna shut that mouth of yours."

"Well, that's not gonna be you," he said before he acknowledged the three girls in the room. "These are the Stygian sisters. They will be starting here next week and their father has left them here today so they can get a tour of the school. Since you owe community service, several detention hours, and were late again this morning, you will bring them around the school. They are going to be your shadows today. Make sure they see what a wonderful school environment this is."

"Yeah, it's so great, with a moron like you in charge."

"MS. ADAMS! I think it would do you well to keep your comments to yourself and take these three on their tour. Start in the library. You will be excused from homeroom."

"Whatever."

We walked out of the office and I slammed the door behind us.

"Stupid, moronic, son of a bitch!"

"Is that any way to speak about your elders?" asked one of the triplets.

"He's not my elder. He's a nuisance I have to deal with on a daily basis."

"But he is still the authority in the school isn't he?" asked one of the other girls.

"I guess. Some people might tell you it's me. I spend more time in the office than he does."

"You get into trouble a lot?" asked the third sister.

"I guess you could say that. I'd call them misunderstandings. People don't understand the way I think and it tends to end badly for them. Or teachers kick me out because I'm not doing too well in class."

"Do you pay attention?" asked the first sister.

"You know what? Let's just get this over with. No offense, but I don't want to have to do this, but the sooner we get going, the sooner it can be done. The library is in the west wing of the school."

We walked the rest of the way to the library in an uncomfortable silence. There was something about the Stygian sisters. I could almost put my finger on it. It was almost obvious, but my mind couldn't focus on it. I stayed lost in thought trying to figure it out as we walked into the library, so much so that I didn't notice the school librarian wasn't there or that the girls locked the doors behind us.

"As you can see, this is the library," I started, turning around and realizing that they locked us in. "What are you doing? Unlock those doors."

"No, hero, we have been sent to find you," said the sister in the middle, who was obviously the leader.

The three girls were losing their shape. They seemed to be sprouting leathery wings and talons instead of nails. Their teeth grew into fangs.

"What the hell are you talking about?! I'm no hero!"

"Our master has sent us to bring you to him before they find you," she continued.

They started moving towards me and I started moving back.

"You shouldn't exist. The Three made a vow. You are proof his brothers have broken the vow again," she said.

Her sisters weren't talking. It was creepy.

"Who the hell do you work for? Who are you? I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"You will come appear before Hades for judgment."

"Hades? The god in the myth? You guys really need to stop messing with the drugs you're on. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Ah, but you have no choice, hero."

They launched themselves at me to attack, but I wasn't going down without a fight. I threw my hands up and tried to block them from clawing my eyes out. When they got right on top of me, something happened that I hadn't expected, fire exploded from my hands.

The two who hadn't spoken since we got to the library turned to ash. The leader screamed in rage. That's when I realized who they were. These three girls were the three furies, sent by Hades himself. They were telling the truth.

"NO! They don't have control of fire! How can you do this?!"

I was too shocked to say anything. She came at me again and I tried to use the fire again. It came to me, but I couldn't control it. The fire hit one of the stacks of books which went up like it had been doused with gasoline. The fury flew out of the window. I went to the door, but I couldn't unlock it. It wouldn't budge. No matter how much I threw myself at the door it wouldn't budge. I tried throwing the librarian's chair at the door. It didn't help. The fire was spreading. I was panicking.

After what felt like an eternity, when the library was almost entirely engulfed in flames, someone broke into the library. There were several FDNY firefighters and they had broken the door down with an axe. By this point I had curled up on the floor by the check-out desk, trying to keep from inhaling too much smoke.

One of the firefighters picked me up and carried me out of the school, where I was put into an ambulance under the supervision of an NYPD officer. They put an oxygen mask on me and strapped me to a stretcher and took me to the hospital. While I was there, the cop had to stay with me even after my mom showed up.

I was questioned for over an hour once the doctor told the cops I could talk. When the cops were done with me, the fire marshal came to ask me the same questions. Finally, after I had answered everyone's questions, lying through my teeth to stay out of the psych ward, Mr. Willis showed up to talk to my mother.

"Ms. Adams, I know this is a scary time for you, but I need to speak with you," he said.

"Of course, Principal Willis. Please, come in. We're going to be here for a little longer at least. They want to run some more tests on her to make sure there is no lingering smoke inhalation problems."

He walked in and sat down next to my mother who was next to the bed I was in.

"Ms. Adams, what have you been told about today's events?"

"There was a fire in the library, Selene was trapped inside and the three girls she was with are missing and seem to have left her there to burn, escaping out the windows."

"Well, that is one version. But did you know that your daughter was late to school again this morning? Or that she was disrespecting me not more than ten minutes before the fire broke out? I don't know if we can prove it, but I think that she was the one who set the fire in the library and just got trapped."

"Principal Willis, Selene is many things, but an arsonist is not one of them. I was unaware of her lateness this morning. I apologize for that, but I cannot sit here and let you say that my daughter is an arsonist."

I knew better than to say anything. If I lied to my mother, she'd know. Even if I told the truth, Mr. Willis would try to paint me as some kind of liar anyway. I stayed quiet. I just lay there with the oxygen mask on my face.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Adams, but the decision has already been made. Your daughter will not be allowed back on school grounds. The police emptied her locker searching for any evidence that might prove she set the fire. You can get her belongings from them before you leave the hospital. I wish you luck, but your daughter is a danger to herself and others. Perhaps you should consider a reform or military school. Her problems are more extensive than we thought."


	2. My Mom Changes Personality

My Mother Changes Personality

My mother was never really demanding or one for yelling. In fact, most of the time when I got in trouble it was worse. She would give me a disappointed look, like she'd failed me, and ultimately let things go. So after I was discharged from the hospital and we got home, I was completely caught off guard by her reaction to the day's events.

She went straight to our fire place and started building the fire. Right then, I knew she was upset. It wasn't cold enough to use the fireplace yet, but mom would use it on the hottest day of the year if she was mad or upset. The fireplace seemed to comfort her. I tried to give her space to think, since she usually just sits and tends the fire for a while when she starts it. The routine wasn't new to me. I'd been in trouble before. This wasn't even the first time I'd been questioned by police.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Selene!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Typically when mom started working with the fire, she tuned everything out until she was ready to face them. I dropped my backpack and leather jacket on the floor of the hallway heading towards my bedroom and went back to the living room.

"I thought you wanted space, Mom. You usually do when you start tending the fire."

"How could you be so irresponsible?"

I was dumbfounded. She never automatically assumed I did things, even when I knew she was sure that I had done them.

"What do you mean, Mom?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Selene? How could you be so careless and burn down that library?"

"Wait, how do you know I did that?"

"I'm your mother. It's my responsibility to know what you do. Now, how could you do that?"

"I don't know what happened. I panicked and it just happened."

"Panicked about what? Why were you in there when the school librarian was not in there? Why was the door locked from the inside?"

"They locked it. I didn't realize the librarian wasn't there until it was too late. They had locked me in with them. I couldn't get out."

"Who were they?"

"New students Mr. Willis was making me take around because I owed community service hours, detention hours, and was late."

"Do you remember their names? I would like to find them and find out what the hell happened in there."

I hesitated a nanosecond too long.

"No. They were triplets."

"You're lying to me."

I may have come to the realization that they were telling the truth about being the furies, but that didn't mean that my mother would accept it.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember."

My mother's eyes flashed dangerously. For a split second I swore the color disappeared and was replaced by fire. I recoiled, for the first time in my life nervous around my mother.

"Don't lie to me, Selene! Not now!"

I stayed silent.

"Go to your room! If you try to sneak out of this house, there will be hell to pay. Until I find you a new school and find out what happened, you're grounded."

In shock, I nodded and left the living room. I grabbed my things and went to my room. Once I was in there I began looking through my old books for the tales of Greek myths my mom gave me.


	3. I Destroy My Military School Graduation

I Destroy My Military School Graduation

My mother must have taken Mr. Willis' words to heart. After my expulsion in April, she found a military boarding school not far from West Point military academy for kids like me. I was still nervous after what she had done after the fire, so I did my best to stay off of everyone's radar.

Things were going okay. Once the school realized the trouble I had with reading they got me a special tutor to try to help me learn how to read better. My guidance counselor said I had academic potential, but was hindered by my lack of focus and my difficulty reading. My instructors informed the commandant that when I was in class, if they held my attention, I showed high proficiency in my subjects. Of course, it was my physical education instructor who praised me the most, which I found funny.

I'd never really been into the organized stuff. Team stuff wasn't my thing. Leave me be and I was happy. But Sergeant Jenkins found that not only did I have a sharp eye with my rifle (why they were giving a delinquent like me lessons with a gun was beyond me), but he felt I was a leader. When we would run drills, he noticed that I naturally started motivating some of the slower students. It was more to keep the bullies from bugging them, but I did it anyway. Anyway, of all the instructors there, he was the one I wanted to make the proudest, so I tried harder for him. Most of my teachers saw my permanent record and decided I would only be in there classes for a few weeks. He didn't. He wouldn't let me get away with it. He pushed me to my best, even if I didn't know I was capable of more.

When June came around, I was shocked to find out that I had done well enough at this school that I would actually be graduating eighth grade. I figured I was gonna have to repeat the grade. I'd never gone to four schools in one year before, so I thought no school would actually let me pass the year. I was happy. Sergeant Jenkins would be proud, because he told me that I could do it and I did, my mother would be proud that I finished the year without any major incident, and maybe that would make her forgive me a little to let things get a little back to normal.

On graduation day, I was in my dress uniform, the rest of my clothes were already packed for me to go back home. Just a few more hours and I would be back in my own room. I didn't know how wrong I was. The ceremony started and was going okay, but just before it ended all hell broke loose.

They burst out of the woods. There was a group that looked to be wearing ancient Greek armor, but I had a feeling not all of them were human. Some of them walked too weird to be human.

"Recruits! To your barracks! Parents! To the dining hall!" shouted the commandant.

They drew fire arms, which at a military school, the faculty always carried. Everyone started running when I locked eyes with a blonde kid who seemed to be running the show. Ice ran down my spine and something told me that I was in more trouble than I was with the Furies.

"Get her! Kill anyone who gets in the way!"

He was looking right at me as he said it. I was right, they were here for me as surely as the Furies were in Manhattan for me in April. My mom saw that I wasn't running and came to me, trying to drag me away.

"Mom! I can't! If I go to the barracks they'll kill the instructors and any students who get in their way! They're after me! Run! Go home!"

"I'm not gonna lose you! I won't let it happen!"

"You knew something?"

"I can't."

"We don't have time! Get to your car. Get home. I'll find a way out of this. I'll see you again, but please go home, I don't want you hurt. I love you and you're all I have."

She hugged me and I knew she didn't want to let me go, but after a minute, she did.

"Know that you have more than fire at your disposal. You have water, too."

I didn't know what she meant, but she left before anything could be said. Sergeant Jenkins made his way to me.

"Recruit Adams, what are you doing? Get to your barracks!"

"Sir, I'm sorry, but I can't. They're after me. Trust me, the instructors should fall back because things are about to get messy out here."

"We won't leave you alone."

"You can't help me, Sir. Please, trust me."

He hesitated before rounding up the instructors who, against their judgment, followed him off the field. It was only me, the blonde, and his army. He met me halfway, keeping a safe distance.

"Why do you care for these pitiful mortals?"

"You're obviously not here for them, so what do you want?"

"You. Your service is needed by our master."

"Sorry, I don't play well with others."

"You're gonna come with us, or you will be killed. There is no other way."

"I don't like your threats."

"Join us. Help us destroy Olympus. I know you've been hunted. All of our kind have been."

"Our kind?"

"The children of Olympus. Demigods."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Obviously, you got the wrong girl, so why don't you just leave me be?"

I knew it was a pathetic attempt, but I had to try something to stall for time. I was trying to see his army for what they were. They were blurry to me, almost as if something was trying to make me see them as human, even though they weren't, like the Furies.

"You do know what I'm talking about. Just before you came here, you were attacked by the Furies. Hades sent them after you. He wants you dead. So why not help destroy him instead."

"You're crazy."

He lunged at me, swinging his sword. The thing looked wicked and I wasn't letting it get anywhere near me. I ducked and ran up onto the stage, gaining the advantage of height over him. He was persistent and followed me, still trying to attack. I tried to dodge the attacks, but I lost control of the fire again and set the stage on fire. I jumped off of it. He and his army were stunned.

"Get her!"

I concentrated and threw as much fire as I could towards them, sorry for the serious damage I knew was about to happen to the school. Then I ran into the woods, where there were places to duck for cover. I heard a horn and then girls just appeared out of thin air. They started shooting arrows at the army, every arrow hitting its target.

"It's the Huntresses! Fall back!" the boy who tried to hack me in half called out.

What was left of his army fell back. The girls looked like they were going to follow, but one of the younger girls put her hand up in a signal not to. Part of me wanted to run, to find a way home. Something told me I wouldn't be doing that for a long time.

"Sit down, Selene," the young girl said to me.

Suddenly I realized how tired I really was. The fire took a lot out of me.

"Who are you guys? Who were they? Why do they want me? Can you help me?" I started spewing questions.

"I am Artemis, goddess of the Hunt, and these are my handmaidens, my Huntresses. That was Kronos' army. They want you because you may be a great asset to them if they could play their cards right. I may be able to help you, but you have to make a choice."

I was stunned. One of the Olympians was sitting with me.

"What kind of choice?"

"Well, you can choose to become one of my Huntresses, leaving your current life behind and giving up the companionship of men in exchange for near immortality. My Huntresses are immortal unless they break their vows to me or they die in battle. However, this is not your only option. There is a camp that you can go to. You will learn who you are and how to defend yourself."

"I would have to leave my mother behind? She's all I've had all my life."

"Of course she has. Your father couldn't be with you," Artemis said.

"Wait, you know something about my dad?"

"Your father is a god of Olympus, Selene. The theory is you are either my father Zeus' or my uncle Poseidon's daughter."

"It makes sense," I muttered.

"What does?" The girl with the dark punk hair and the circlet around her head asked.

"Before I convinced my mom to leave so she wouldn't get hurt. She said water would protect me."

"Then she's Percy's sister, Lady Artemis," the girl said.

"Yes, she is, Thalia."

"Who's Percy?" I asked.

"Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. My cousin," said Thalia.

"This is getting weird."

"Getting? I think it's been while for a while."

"Do you know what choice you're gonna make?" Artemis asked.

"I'm not sure. I need to make sure my mother is safe. I can't make any choice without at least knowing she is safe. Even if I can't talk to her, I have to see she made it home safely and this army of Kronos didn't find and kill her."

"Where are you from, Selene?" Artemis asked me.

"New York City."

"Percy's still with his mother, Lady Artemis. He's not scheduled to leave for Half-Blood Hill for another week."

"Take her, Thalia, to her brother. Give him the task of joining you to bring her to show her what she needs. By the end of the week, when Percy is to leave for the camp, hopefully, she will be ready to make her decision."

"My things are in my dorm room."

"I've sent some of my handmaidens to retrieve them."


	4. I Shock the Two Most Powerful Demigods

I Shock the Two Most Powerful Demigods of the Age

When I thought of the children of the gods, I have to admit I thought they would look kinda badass. My brother was not. Thalia and I finally made our way back into New York City and met him at Goode High School, where he was a freshman. He had just walked out of the building when he spotted Thalia and smiled.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked her.

"I've been sent by Artemis with a quest of sorts for you."

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Percy, this is Selene Adams. Selene Adams, this is Percy Jackson. Percy, Luke and his army tried to kidnap Selene from her military school graduation yesterday. By the time we got there, she'd pretty much trashed the place defending herself, but she's in danger. Artemis wants us to take her to her mother, guard her until you leave for Half-Blood Hill. Before you leave, she's hoping that Selene will decide what path she will follow. Will she go with you? Or will she come back with me?"

"She's like us?"

"Really like us."

"The oath?"

"Yep."

"Can you guys explain to me what you're talking to me about? My head is still reeling from everything that's happened since yesterday," I broke in.

"Not out here. Let's go back to my place. Paul will be out in a minute, he'll drive us."

"Who's Paul?" I asked.

"My mother's boyfriend, Paul Blofis. He's an English teacher here, got me in even though I had already been kicked out of like one school every year," said Percy.

Just then a man walked out of the school and right over to Percy.

"Who are your friends, Percy?" he asked.

"Paul, this is Thalia and Selene. Thalia is a friend of mine and Selene is her cousin. She's looking after her for the week. They're gonna come back to the apartment with me, do you mind dropping all of us?"

"No, come on."

We got into the Prius and drove to the apartment. The doorman said hello as he let us in and we went up to the apartment. As soon as we walked in Percy dropped his backpack, left my duffle by the door, and pointed us toward his bedroom.

"Paul, when my mom comes home, tell her I have Thalia here with me?"

"She didn't know she was coming?"

"I didn't know. Please tell her? She won't mind, don't worry."

Percy met us in his bedroom. We were sitting on his bed and he sat on the floor against his dresser.

"Can someone explain things now?"

"Before we do, Selene, can you tell me and Percy what you know?"

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to talk about the last few months, but if I wanted them to trust me, I needed to trust them.

"I was sent to that school upstate after I got kicked out of my prep school here in the city for setting the library on fire. I couldn't tell anyone what happened, but I was in the library with three girls. My principal called them the Stygian sisters."

"Stygian sisters?" asked Percy.

"Yeah, why?"

"That's the name of a kind of metal in the Underworld."

"That's why it sounded familiar!"

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked.

"When I saw them, it seemed like something was off about them, but I couldn't place it. I thought the answer was staring me in the face and I wasn't seeing it. That was it."

"How does it connect?" asked Percy.

"They said they were the Furies, sent by Hades to bring me to him for judgment."

"How did you get away from them?" asked Thalia.

"You can't drown them," said Percy.

"I didn't drown them."

"Then what happened?" he asked.

"I set two of them on fire and the leader flew away, leaving me trapped?"

Percy and Thalia just stared at me for a minute. Neither knew what to say. I guess I understood. If I was really Percy's sister, it must not be normal for a child of Poseidon to have an affinity for fire.

"How did you do that?" Percy finally asked.

"I don't know, but I've been able to call fire to me since. It wasn't until yesterday that my mom told me that I have water to fight with, too. I didn't know what that meant until I was with Thalia and Artemis."

"Why didn't you tell us that yesterday?" Thalia asked.

"I was kinda freaked out."

"Fine. So what happened before we got there?"

"Yesterday was graduation. The entire eighth grade platoon was out on that field with commanding officers, the commandant, the other faculty members, and the families. When the ceremony was almost over, those guys showed up. The teachers told the students to return to their dorms and the families to go to the mess hall. They were gonna try to handle them."

"But you stayed."

"I stayed. I saw the blonde kid and he looked me right in my eyes. A chill went down my spine and he told his people to come after me. I convinced my favorite teacher to take the staff inside and my mom to leave me for their protection and faced them. I lost control and set the stage on fire, but the bigger fires were intentional. I ran into the woods and that's when all of you showed up."

"That's everything?" Thalia asked.

"Yes. Now can the two of you explain what you were talking about outside the school?"

"There was an oath made by Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades after World War II not to have any more demigod children. After the way their children tore the world apart with that war, they realized their children are too powerful. So, the three of us should never have been born. Zeus is Thalia's father. Poseidon is apparently both of our father. But it Hades is the only one who hasn't broken the oath. When he found out about both Thalia and me he tried to kill us. Almost succeeded with Thalia. Zeus took pity on her and turned her into a pine tree, which protected Half-Blood Hill until a year ago, when we unknowingly brought her back when we saved her tree."

"The Furies did say Hades sent them. But what about the army?"

"How old are you, Selene?" asked Thalia.

"I'll be fourteen on August ninth."

They just looked at each other.

"There's a prophecy about a child of the big three. Whichever of us turns sixteen will have the power to save or destroy Olympus. As of right now, the prophecy is about Percy. I'm eternally fifteen. Nico, Hades' son was born before both of us, but stopped aging when he was ten and just started again. He's only eleven. If Luke and Kronos' army found a way to get Percy out of the way, the Great Prophecy would fall on your shoulders."

"What?"

"You would have to choose to save the world or destroy it," Percy said, looking sympathetic.

"I need to see my mother."

"After my mother gets home."


	5. My Mom Blows my Mind

My Mother Blows my Mind

Sally Jackson got home a little after four thirty that afternoon. She came right to Percy's room to see Thalia and her cousin. After closing the door, Percy told his mother everything the three of us had figured out so far. Once she was caught up, she agreed to bring us to see my mother at her office.

When we got to my building, I told Sally to just park in the building's garage. On the way in, I let the attendant know that they were with me and the car was to be tended to and not towed. Then, we made our way up to the office I hadn't seen in almost a year.

My mother worked for a hedge fund in midtown not far from where we lived. She was an executive assistant to one of the vice presidents and had her own private office, which had been furnished with a fireplace, just for her. The view of the city from her office was stunning. When we walked into the office, my mother was at the fireplace, as I expected.

"Mom?"

"Selene!" she exclaimed as she ran over to me and hugged me. "I didn't know if you made it out of there safe. The school said they couldn't find you after everything calmed down and that there had been proof of fighting and destruction on the field where we left you. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if you were lost forever."

"I'm okay, Mom, thanks to some new people I met," I said pulling away from her and gesturing to Thalia. "Mom, this is Thalia. She is a Huntress of Artemis. She and the other Huntresses showed up at the school with Artemis and helped chase those guys away. And this," I said gesturing to Percy and Sally, "is Percy and his mom, Sally Jackson. Percy is the son of Poseidon, Mom. And we need to talk to you."

My mother's face dropped like she didn't want this day to have ever come. She motioned for all of us to sit down, then buzzed her assistant to say she would be unreachable until further notice. Once she was sure we wouldn't be interrupted she sat down with us.

"Ms. Adams, from what the kids have told me, it seems that you and I have something in common. We both fell for a man who could never stay with us. I don't know if you ever knew the true identity of Selene's father and this could be confusing to say the least, but I've been dealing with all of this with Percy for a long time now."

"I knew who he was. And I knew that my little girl would be doomed. Ms. Jackson, our children share a father, that much is true, but I am sorry to say there are secrets I cannot divulge," she said as she looked at me. "I'm sorry, Selene. I didn't want to tell you. Heroes are rarely appreciated for what they do for the world or even for the gods. The longer you were in the dark about your father, the safer you would be."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Your mom means that a demigod can be sniffed out by the monsters we fight. They can find us before we know our true identities, but it's easier once we know the truth. Once we know the truth whatever they pick up on becomes stronger and it becomes easier for them to find us. Demigods like us are at risk even before we know because our godly parent makes us so strong the monsters can sniff us out long before we know who we are," explained Percy.

"Great," I mumbled.

"The point is that now you are in great danger. That army is after you. I don't know what they want from you-"

"We think they're trying to replace Percy as the demigod of prophecy to either save or destroy Olympus," Thalia said. "If they kill him and convince her to side with him, it can give them the power they need to overthrow the gods when she turns sixteen."

"But I wouldn't. They tried to kill me. I don't help people like that. Besides, in general, I don't play well with others. Ask my mother, the military school was my thirteenth school since I've started kindergarten."

"Nobody thinks you would do something like that, Honey," said Sally, "it's just that this is what we think is happening. We won't let it happen."

"Mom, there's more. Something I should've told you in April, about the fire. Yes, I started it. But it was an accident. I didn't know I could do that. The three girls were going by the last name Stygian. When we got into the library they cornered me in there and tried to attack me," I said pausing trying to get up the nerve to finish what my mother had been trying to pull out of me for months. "They said they were the Furies sent by Hades to bring me to the Underworld to him for judgment. I didn't think you'd believe me and you were already so mad."

"The Furies?" she asked as her face paled.

"Yes."

My mother got up and hugged me tightly again.

"You are not safe with me. They have found where you are and if I keep you with me, Hades will hunt you until he gets what he wants."

"Mom? What are you saying?"

"You need to leave, Selene. For your safety you can't stay with me."

"But, Mom, I came back for you."

"I know, but if you stay, Hades will see to your death."

"Sally, how did you do it with Percy? Maybe you can help my mom?"

Sally had a look of grief and sympathy on her face.

"Selene, I had to send Percy to boarding school after boarding school. I was married to a man who was able to hide the scent of his demigod blood, but it still didn't work. Ultimately, it was one of the Furies who found him. From there, I had no choice but to let him go. He went to Camp Half-Blood which is a camp for demigods. He learned to take care of himself there and he comes home for the school year, but sometimes he has to go back unexpectedly. He contacts me when he can, but the only thing to do, is to let him live his destiny. The destiny of a half-god is not one we can interfere with. It will only cause more trouble for you."

I looked at the ground. My mom was kicking me out for my own good. She was the only constant I'd ever had. Now I had to choose between the Huntresses and the camp and I wasn't sure what to do. My mind couldn't process what had just taken place.


	6. My Life No Longer Belongs to Me

My Life No Longer Belongs to Me

After what happened with my mother, Sally thought it would be safer if Percy ended his school year a few days early to go to camp. Knowing that both he and Thalia had been given the task of keeping me safe for the week, she brought us back to their apartment, where Percy packed his things, I grabbed my duffle, and then we hit the road for Long Island.

Percy, Sally and Thalia talked the entire way to the camp. Percy and Thalia were excited. They both had friends there. Sally was asking them to promise her that they would stay careful on their individual quests. I didn't really care that I was being rude, I put on my mp3 player and just blasted that all the way to the camp. My mom told me to leave her for my safety, but she was sending me somewhere I didn't know with people neither of us knew.

We pulled over on the side of the road and everyone got out of the car, so I did the same. Percy grabbed our things out of the trunk while Sally said good-bye to Thalia. I took my mp3 player and stuffed it in the pocket of my leather jacket and grabbed my duffle from Percy. We were about to start walking up the hill when Sally pulled me aside.

"Selene, I understand that you feel like your mother betrayed you right now. But I can tell you from personal experience that I tried so hard to keep Percy with me for a long time. He nearly died so many times because of it. Since I finally stopped fighting it's hard to let him go, but he's learned to fight for himself, he's stronger, and I am more confident that he will come back to me, no matter what he faces. In time, maybe you and your mom can work things out. I really hope you give her another chance. But, just know that she does care. In the meantime, if you ever need anything and you don't want to go to her, you are welcome to come to me."

"Thanks, Sally."

She gave me a hug and I walked away, catching up with Percy and Thalia. When we reached the top of the hill, there was a huge pine tree with a dragon around it. Thalia looked at the tree as if it were her life, and I wondered if that was the tree she had become for a while.

The valley on the other side of the hill was huge. There were cabins and stables and a volleyball court and strawberry fields and a big house that looked very out of place. Before we started into the valley, Percy and Thalia turned to wave good-bye to his mother one last time.

We started walking towards the big house that looked so out of place. Something about it seemed ominous. When we got there, there was a man who was taller than any other man I'd ever seen. Then I noticed that he was only a man from the waist up. From the waist down he was a white stallion.

"Thalia! Percy! We weren't expecting you today," he said.

"Hi, Chiron," Thalia said.

"We had an unexpected situation come up. Mom dropped us off on the other side of Half-Blood Hill a few minutes ago," Percy said.

"Would it have to do with your new friend here?" Chiron asked.

"Chiron, this is Selene Adams. The Hunters and I helped Artemis save her from Luke and Kronos' army yesterday at a military school in upstate. The theory, even by her own mother, is that she is a daughter of Poseidon."

"Has he claimed her?" Chiron asked.

"Not in front of either of us. But Kronos' army knew she was a child of the Big Three, and Hades sent the Furies after her, all of them, because she was a daughter of one of his brothers. Her mother claims she has affinities with water," said Thalia.

"Selene, have you ever manipulated water?" Chiron asked me.

"Not that I remember."

"She may very well be a daughter of Poseidon, but unless she is claimed by him, we will have to put her in cabin eleven."

"Actually, Chiron, if she doesn't get claimed, she will be staying with me in cabin eight. Artemis has given Percy and I the quest of guarding her for the week until she understands more and can possibly make a decision as to whether she chooses to be here or become a Hunter," Thalia said.

"I see. Very well. How old are you, Selene?" he asked me.

"I'll be fourteen August ninth."

He seemed to put together what all of us had pieced together already. He didn't seem thrilled about it.

"You may show her to cabin eight to drop her things and ask one of the campers to show her around the camp. Then I would like to see both you and Percy back here, please. I have some things about this I would like to discuss with you."

I didn't like knowing she was going to pawn me off on someone and go back to the big house to talk about me, but I wasn't going to fight it. Percy and Thalia had been good to me. Chiron didn't seem like someone who would stand for disrespect, so I just gave in. I was tired.

We got to cabin eight and it looked gray and plain. Some of the others looked more interesting, but I wasn't in the mood to care. Besides, I had just spent two months in military school. This place was like club med by comparison.

On our way out of the cabin I walked right into another camper and almost fell. He caught me before I could. He had blonde hair and blue eyes like the guy who was trying to kill or manipulate me, but I didn't get the same feeling of uneasiness around him as I did with the one Thalia and Percy called Luke.

"Careful, there. You don't want to be seen being a clutz around here on your first day. The Ares kids will never let you live it down," He said to me as he helped me back up, smiling at me.

"Will, don't flirt with her. You don't want to start a fight between your dad and Artemis, do you?" Thalia asked.

"Why would that cause a fight? Is she a Hunter?" Will asked in reply.

"No, but she has been invited. I've been asked to stay here for the week so Percy and I can watch her while she learns about half-bloods and make a choice. But do you still want to risk the fight?"

"I didn't do anything wrong, Thalia," he said, still smiling.

I thought Thalia was gonna punch him. He was goading her.

"I don't wanna do this, but since I don't see anyone else around, I need you to take her. Chiron needs to talk to me and Percy so he told me to have another camper take her around."

"Is she claimed yet?"

"Not yet, but she's staying in cabin eight with me."

"Fine, I'll take this lovely lady around the camp. I was just heading over to the archery range. I'm teaching the Aphrodite cabin. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out her skill level while I have them."

"Don't push your luck Will. If you cause trouble, I'm here to deal with you before Artemis and Apollo can get into a fight."

"Oh, just relax. It's an archery lesson. You act like I'm trying to steal a Hunter's immortality by seducing her away. She's made no vow, so she still has choices. Let her decide things on her own."


	7. Archery for Pretty People

Archery for Pretty People

"So, are you really considering becoming a Hunter?" Will asked as we walked towards the archery range.

"I don't know. Right now I don't know anything. My mom, who I've always been close to, just kicked me out saying it would be safer for me. My dad may or may not claim me while I'm here. I've been chased by some nasty things, saved by the Hunters and Artemis, and now they've told me I need to choose between them and here. I just don't know. The only familiar thing in my life has told me to go away."

"Harsh. I get how that can be confusing. There are lots of campers here who are here because their families couldn't stand what happens when you've got monsters chasing a demigod in the family. They mostly stay here year-round. Some campers are lucky, and as they've learned to protect themselves, they've been able to go back to their families during the school year and have almost normal lives."

"Like Percy."

"Yeah, like Percy. Nobody was sure what to make of him. Everyone thought that he would have to be a year-rounder because his dad was Poseidon. Demigods of the Big Three are bigger targets than the rest of us. It's not safe for them to be out there most of the time, but Percy has proven it can be done. If he can do it, any of us can if we try. At least, if our parents still want us."

"What about you? Which group do you fall into? Do you go home?"

"Most of the children of Apollo can go home but we've come to realize, especially now, that we're need here more. The camp needs to be guarded and campers need to be healed. Yeah everyone is trained in these things to an extent, but we can do them in different ways. We can defend from distances which means fewer of us are at risk for injury or death. And our father is a god of healing. We can heal things that even some of the others here can't. So, we've told our parents, we're gonna be staying longer. I'm one of them. I'll be staying year-round until things calm down a bit."

"You mean the prophecy with Percy that should take place next year?"

"You know about that? Yeah, that. So, I'll be here for at least another fourteen months."

"How does your family feel?"

"They wish I would come home, but my mom understands why I do it. She loves my dad for all the good he could do for people. I don't think she'd ask me to turn my back on that part of me."

By this point, we'd hit the archery range and I almost gagged. I had never smelled so much perfume in my life. Standing around the range were seventeen of the most trendy looking teenagers I'd ever seen in my life. I didn't think any of them had ever lifted their fingers to do anything but fix their hair and make-up. Even as they were standing there, unaware that Will and I were watching them, they were fussing over their outfits and complaining about having to do archery.

"Alright, Silena, it's time to get your siblings in line for their lesson," Will said taking charge.

A tall, slim girl with black hair and striking blue eyes looked up at him. She did not have the same look of annoyance as the rest of the group. After calling them to order, she sat them down on the benches that were to the side of the range itself.

"And who is your new friend, Will?" she asked with a smile.

"Silena, this is Selene Adams. She's new here and I've been asked to show her around."

"Who is your godly parent, Selene?" asked one of her siblings, a tall girl with black hair and brown eyes asked.

"I haven't been claimed yet," I said, not wanting to say anything that Thalia hadn't already told Will.

"Another lost one for cabin eleven," she said.

"Drew, be nice. I'm sure you remember your days before our mother claimed you. It's not easy to be new around here," Silena defended me. "Ignore my sister. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. Maybe I'll see you around the pegasus stables. I tend to teach the new campers how to ride."

"Maybe. But it depends on what Thalia and Percy say."

"Thalia Grace? The Hunter of Artemis? Are the Hunters of Artemis at camp?" she asked, anger just below her calm expression.

"Not all of them. Just Thalia. Artemis asked her and Percy to keep an eye on me until I learned more about all of this. The Hunters rescued me from Kronos' army yesterday and offered to take me in. I told them I need time to think. That's why Thalia is here. Artemis just wants her to stay with me for the week, and after that, if I decide to go with her, I will join the Hunt, if not, I will stay here."

"You can't join them! They don't believe in love, they think it is for fools! Don't you want to have a life, grow old and have a family someday?" said Silena.

Her siblings seemed to share her dislike of the Hunters, and based on her outburst, I came to the realization, they'd had it out with them before. I didn't like that Thalia hadn't warned me about this. I felt like I was being thrown to the wolves.

"I don't know what I want right now. I'm confused about a lot of things, so I just want to see what the camp is like. I'm not making any decisions right now and she knows it."

"Alright, that's enough!" exclaimed Will. "I want all of you to line up in front of targets one through five. Six is to be left empty, because I will be testing Selene. All of you are still at the fifteen yard marks from the target. Each team gets a color, I have already chosen who will be at what target and what color your arrows will be. No changing because you don't like the color. I don't want any complaining about it today. After you finish shooting your three shots, I want you to write down your honest scores. Remember, I know what all of you are capable of and will still be watching you, so don't try to fool me."

He walked over to a bulletin board that was next to the benches and pinned a list to the board, after he changed a few names. Obviously, he had to rearrange some things because I was here.

"Now, go, get your arrows and line up. After I get her started I will come around to check on you. Silena, you're in charge of keeping your siblings in line."

I wish I could say things went smoothly after that, but I'd be a liar. Maybe he thought it was funny, but some of the sons of Aphrodite wound up at targets that had pink arrows and threw a fit. Some of the girls wound up with orange arrows and started complaining that the arrows clashed with their outfits. Silena was trying to enforce the rules that Will had set up, but ultimately, he had to step in. Even still, there was still plenty of complaining and groaning once they started shooting.

Will walked over to me and sat next to me on the bench.

"Have you ever shot with a bow and arrow before?"

"No, but I've shot with a rifle. Does that count?"

"A rifle? Do you hunt?"

"No, I spent the last two months in military school."

"Okay, so you know the basics on aiming at a target. The difference is, with a bow, you knock the arrow and you have to pull the arrow back as tight as you can. It works best when you keep your shoulders level and anchor your hand close to your cheek. When you do that and have your target in sight, it's just learning to adjust to wind and pulling back on the bowstring far enough to get the distance you need. Today, you'll be at the same distance as the Aphrodite kids."

"Fine. But if you give me pink, purple or orange arrows, you're not gonna like where they go."

He smiled and laughed.

"I didn't think you'd like those. Here, I don't typically do this, but you can use some of my arrows. They're basic arrows, but they are golden, not like the ones the camp uses for the campers."

I looked at them and was shocked he trusted me. He'd known me twenty minutes. Some of the Aphrodite kids looked up then and there were mixed reactions among them. Some were just smirking in our direction. Others looked mad.

"Why does she get the golden arrows? We're prettier!" Drew exclaimed from near target number three.

"I lent them to her because I felt like it and they are mine to lend. You have done nothing to earn something like that. Now, back to your shooting," Will said to her.

Drew pulled the bowstring back and I realized her arrows were black. No wonder she was pissed off. I didn't see any of the Aphrodite kids wearing anything black except their shoes.

"What, did you put her in that line to give her the arrows that matched her soul?"

Will laughed. "That's mean."

"She's a mean girl. Girls like her live to make everyone else miserable."

"I will reserve judgment."

We got up and went to the line. Will stood behind me, setting me up in the correct shooting pose, which wasn't really different from shooting with a rifle, and guiding my arms into the correct position with the bow and arrow. He kept his arms around me until I released my first arrow. It barely missed the bull's eye. I cursed.

"Why are you upset? That was an excellent shot," Will said encouragingly.

"Sergeant Jenkins wouldn't think so. He'd say that I was distracted."

"You're instructor? He sounds strict."

"He is. But he made me better at things."

"Do you wanna try again by yourself?"

"Yes," I said as I grabbed another arrow and knocked it.

Will stood back a few feet and I repositioned myself. I tuned everyone and everything out because I could feel the children of Aphrodite staring at me. They had stopped to see what happened with me. Focusing on the target and where I wanted the arrow to go, I pulled the bowstring back and let it go. This time, it went not only dead center of the target, but through the target.

"Wow! Are you sure you've never done this before?" Will asked me.

"Not before today."

"I wanna move you back to the thirty yard mark, if you don't mind. You obviously have power behind you, so I wanna test how much."

"Sure."

Before we did, Will taught me the right way to remove an arrow out of a target without damaging it, so I could remove the arrows between shots. Then he walked me back to the line and waited as I prepared to shoot again. My shot had the same accuracy, but didn't go through the target the way my last shot had, so Will decided to leave me there to shoot as he went to check on the Aphrodite campers.

As I took a minute to breathe and look around, I realized he had his hands full. Some of the girls were mocking their brothers who had pink and purple arrows. The campers were teasing each other about how the arrows clashed with their clothes, the fact that they were starting to sweat, and as a result, their make-up was smearing. Fewer and fewer of the campers were actually shooting like they were supposed to. By the time the hour was up, it looked like Will was thanking his father for it ending without bloodshed.


	8. Dinner at the Pavilion Goes Nuts

Dinner at the Pavilion Goes a Little Nuts

I spent most of the day with Will. Thalia and Percy didn't show up until dinnertime and she brought me to sit with her at cabin eight's table. Chiron introduced me to the camp and explained I would be staying in cabin eight with Thalia. Then she told me how things just appeared by thinking about the food and drinks you really wanted and then mentioned that before we ate, all campers got up and made an offering to the gods. I followed her to the fire and did as I was told, thinking about my conflict between Artemis and Poseidon. Should I join the Hunt or should I stay here and get to know my brother and more about my dad? Just as everyone was about to start eating I got into trouble.

One of the boys from the Ares cabin came over to Thalia and me. I could tell she was ready to pounce, but I was closer. He was taller than my five foot three and built like a linebacker. Grabbing my arm he made me stand up, away from the table. Thalia was on her feet almost as fast.

"Thalia, no. I can handle my own battles," I told her, not wanting anyone to fight my fights for me.

"Really?" asked the son of Ares.

"Yeah. I've dealt with worse than you. Now, put me down or I'll make you."

"No. We've got a real problem with you bringing a Hunter into this camp. One comes, the others follow. They cause problems around here."

By this point I could see out of the corner of my eye that Percy was standing next to Thalia, his pen drawn. I knew his pen was his sword, Riptide, and he was waiting for me to let him and Thalia know I needed help. He wasn't gonna get that out of me.

"I'm sure you have a lot of problems. Like counting to five. Or tying your shoes. Now, let me go."

The rage was building in him and I could see it. Percy's finger was lingering on the cap of his pen. Thalia's bow and arrows had appeared on her back. I still wasn't going to let them help me.

"You little brat. I'll teach you to insult the children of the god of war."

"Really? What are you gonna do? Hit me?"

He went to hit me, but I was faster. I ducked so he missed me, but he still had hold of my arm, which he started to twist behind my back. That pissed me off. My body temperature rose faster than I'd ever felt it. Before I knew it, I was engulfed in flames. He let go of me, cradling his burnt hand.

"Anyone else want to start with me?" I asked the rest of the pavilion, looking around.

Apparently, there hadn't been someone in the camp who could do what I had just done in years. Everyone started talking amongst themselves, pointing at me, calling me things like a freak. I didn't care.

"Who the hell is your godly parent?" asked Clarisse, the head counselor for the Ares cabin.

"She has yet to be claimed," Chiron said before I could speak up. "Selene, will you come here for a moment, alone?"

The noise level in the pavilion went up again. Percy and Thalia went back to their respective tables. I walked up to Chiron, worried he was going to be pissed that I lied to him.

"Why did you hide your fire ability? This means you are more than likely not a child of Poseidon. In fact, if you are a child of one of the Big Three, it will most likely be Hades. Neither Zeus nor Poseidon has dominion over fire. Even still it is more likely you are a child of Hephaestus."

"I've only known about all of this, including the fire thing, for two months. I'm learning who to trust and how much to say. But that guy was a moron and it was either burn him or beat him to death. I didn't think it would be smiled upon for campers to kill other campers at dinner."

"I understand your hesitation, but if you choose to stay at camp, we will have to put you in cabin eleven, with the children of Hermes, until we know who your godly parent is for sure. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Chiron."

"Now, are there any other secrets the three of you have withheld?"

"No. This was the only thing."

"Good. Now return to your dinner. You will need your strength. Tonight is capture the flag."

I went back to Thalia and explained what happened with Chiron. My mood had really just changed. I had a good time with Will, even though I didn't like that Thalia and Percy were gonna be talking about me behind my back, and even though my mother had just kicked me out earlier that day after everything else I'd been through. Now to find out she may have been lying to me, it just hurt.

All of a sudden, a cool sea breeze swept into the pavilion and a man appeared next to Percy. He looked like the kind of guy who hung around fishing all the time. He had deep tan, wore shorts and a Bermuda shirt, but he radiated power. He patted on his shoulder and Percy looked up at him and smiled. The last thing I wanted was happening. The man my mother claimed was my father was standing fifteen feet away from me. Chiron stood quickly.

"All hail Poseidon, god of the seas!" he said.

The campers got up from their tables and knelt down to him. Even Thalia did. I wouldn't. If he was my father, than why had he left me to deal with the Furies alone? Why had I never seen him before in my life? I stood up, but I wouldn't kneel to him.

"Ah, Selene, as stubborn as the ocean tides, I see," he said walking over to me.

"Why are you here?" I asked defiantly. I didn't care if he destroyed me, I had nothing left.

His eyes, the same as mine and Percy's, which had laugh lines around them, flashed with sadness.

"I came to see my children. Both of you. You are as much my child as Percy, Selene. And I came to see you, though I don't have a lot of time."

Percy walked over to me, and with a nudge from him, we walked out of the dining pavilion. We walked down where we knew nobody could hear us before he looked at you.

"Selene, you look just like your mother. I am glad you made it here safely. How did you get here?"

"Percy and Thalia. The Hunters rescued me from Luke and his army and when I told Artemis I couldn't make a decision to join the hunt so quickly, she asked Thalia to bring me to Percy and for them to watch me for a week. We were supposed to be in the city, but mom kicked me out because she found out Hades sent the Furies after me and Luke's army was after me. She said I wasn't safe. So Sally brought us here a little while ago."

"I'm sorry about your mother's actions. They surprise me. But, is it true, do you possess the ability to wield fire?"

"Yes, but I don't know how to control water."

"Percy can teach you. That is part of why I am here."

"What's wrong, Dad?" Percy asked.

"Things with the war are getting bad. Percy, you will end up on a quest again soon. But before you do, I need you to teach everything you can teach Selene about the abilities of my children. She, too, is destined to go on her own quest very soon. I'm sorry, Selene, this quest you will be given will be dangerous and deadly, but finding out about your abilities with fire even though you are my child show the prophecy is about you. I can't say more, I am doing more than Zeus would care for me to do just by warning the two of you so you have time to prepare, but I do not relish the idea of losing any of my children. Even those who don't think they want to know me."

"Don't read my mind," I said.

"It's in your eyes. You despise my absence in your life. Maybe one day you will learn more about me, let me get to know you, and you will understand. But until then, I do love all of my children regardless."

"How long do I have to teach her?" Percy asked.

"I'm not sure. Time is relative to us, I just know it is not long. Do your best, and hopefully, she will pick up the rest on instinct," he said to Percy. Then he turned to me, "you are a warrior who picks up how to use weapons quickly. I have left you a special gift in cabin three. Use it well, and I hope it helps you come home safely."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Every hero needs a weapon. Now, we should return to the pavilion. You both need to eat, I need to formally claim you, Selene, and then, as much as I would like to stay, I must go."

We walked back to the pavilion in silence. I was in shock. A dangerous quest? A gift from my father? There was so much running through my mind when we walked back to the main table in the pavilion and my father called the camp to order. As he did, I noticed a glowing trident over my head. Chiron came and stood next to us.

"Children of Camp Half-Blood, I introduce to you my daughter, Selene Adams!" Poseidon exclaimed.

"All hail Selene Adams, daughter of the god of the sea!" Chiron exclaimed.

The campers all bowed to me as they had my father. He hugged Percy and I, whispering in my ear to train hard, trust my instincts, and ask for help if necessary, because he would try in any way he was allowed. Then he disappeared in a swirl of water, leaving just a breeze of ocean air behind.

Percy went back to his table and I went back to Thalia. At least for the time being, I knew what my choice had to be.

"What did Poseidon want?"

"Other than to formally claim me? He wanted to find out if I held power over fire. He's asked Percy to train me to use my water abilities and warned me that I have dangerous roads ahead of me. Then he told me that he left me a gift in cabin three."

"What did he say to you before he left?"

"He told me to train hard, trust my instincts, and to ask for help if I need it."

"What do you think about this?"

"I'm still confused, but Thalia, he's told me there's a prophecy about me. He said I'm gonna have my own quest soon, a dangerous one. He wanted to warn me and Percy that we were both gonna have quests soon."

"There are ways of avoiding having to be a child of prophecy, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"A six months ago, Percy, Annabeth, and I went on a rescue mission to get to half-bloods from a school in Maine. Things didn't go well. Annabeth got kidnapped. But it was that day that Apollo told me that I would turn sixteen in five days. The Hunters and demigods had to unite to go find Artemis who also went missing, and in the process her former lieutenant was killed. The night before I would have turned sixteen I took my vow to become a Hunter, Artemis had asked me to replace her former lieutenant, Zoe Nightshade, who she made into the constellation the Huntress. It stopped me from aging, which meant the prophecy could no longer be about me. Because Hades hid his children in a hotel in Vegas where time is essentially frozen inside, Bianca and Nico stopped aging and couldn't be the children of the prophecy otherwise the prophecy would've happened decades ago. Even still, like we told you, Nico is only eleven now, so the army would have to get through Percy AND you in order to make Nico the child of prophecy."

"What about Bianca?"

"She went on the quest to find Artemis. She had become a Hunter the night we found them in Maine. But, she died in battle, one of the only ways a Hunter loses their immortality and can die."

"And where's Nico now? I haven't seen him around here?"

"He ran off. He blames Percy for the death of Bianca because he asked Percy to protect her. We haven't seen him since."

"Do you think he died, too?"

"Doubtful. Children of Hades are resourceful and can hold a grudge. I don't think he'd let himself die until he resolves his issues with Percy."

"I don't understand how any of this applies to me. The Great Prophecy is about a child of the Big Three making it to their sixteenth birthday and having to make a choice to save or destroy Olympus, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because from what my father said, this prophecy is about a child of his who wields both water and fire. Even if I joined the Hunters and walked away from my mortal life, I'd still be his daughter and I would still be the daughter who wields both water and fire. I think the prophecy would follow me anywhere I go."

"Possibly, but I'm not sure. We become each other's family. I don't know if it would affect the prophecy."

"Thalia, I can't join the Hunt. Not right now. I need to learn what I can from Percy and go on this quest. Maybe, if Artemis will allow it, I can reconsider another time. But right now, I think I need to be here."

"I get it. I will tell her of your choice. If you are meant to be one of us, it will happen sooner or later. When they first asked me, I all but told them to go to Hades. Look at me now."

"You're not mad at me? You've been away from them for over a day."

"No. You need to do what you feel you are meant to do, not what anyone else thinks you should do. Besides, you're still my cousin. I don't get a lot of them and I definitely don't get a lot of time to see them. I'll stay until after dinner. Then we'll move you to cabin three and I'll go find my sisters-in-arms."

We finished dinner and Percy walked us to cabin eight, where he waited outside. Quicker than I thought possible, Thalia packed up her things, ready to return to Artemis and the Hunters. I grabbed my duffle, which was still fully packed, and followed her outside. We walked to cabin three together. Percy and Thalia said their good-byes. Then Thalia came and hugged me.

"Be careful on this quest, Selene. Our quests tend to be extreme."

"Stay safe, Thalia. No matter what I choose, I hope to be able to see you again someday."


End file.
